Happy Birthday Andrew Fox Conditional Jockeys' Selling Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:25 | Winning time: 4m 35.6s

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Selected odds by:

Falak¹¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Fergus Gregory| T: G Elliott| OR: 128

9/2

Dual purpose performer with his last two wins coming back-to-back last year over hurdles and then over 1m6f on the Flat. Mixed bag of performances (under both codes since then); fell last time out (struggling at time); takes a drop in grade.

Form: 013-49F

Skeaping^p¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: C J Todd⁽³⁾| T: P W Middleton| OR: 116

11/4

Former Gordon Elliott inmate (dual hurdles winner for him); capitalised on a drop to selling company when winning his last start for that yard. Twice below form for his new home despite making the frame both times; not written off in this grade.

Form: 254133

Best Not Argue⁴⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: C Brace| T: N C Kelly| OR: 109

5/1

Lightly-raced over hurdles (fairly useful on the Flat), produced her best effort so far in this sphere when second at Cartmel last time (novice hurdle). Does need to prove she can back that up; this easier grade should go a long way to helping.

Form: 80-502

Ballyellis²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-5| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁶⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 107

1/1

His second in a similar contest at Market Rasen (2m1f, good) last time hinted that he was coming to the boil having not yet won a race. More experienced conditional takes the ride here; return to further a plus, fair winning chance.

Form: 69-6352

Mustaaqeem^b¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-0| J: Sean Houlihan| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 77

50/1

Very disappointing under both codes for this yard; gone with very little fluency in his last two starts on the Flat. Returns over hurdles from 25lb out of the weights; faces an almost impossible task.

Form: 604-50

Royal Beekeeper^p¹⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Charlie Price⁽³⁾| T: D Faulkner| OR: 76| CD

50/1

Well beaten when starting out for this yard last time (didn't spend long with Dan Skelton) eventually pulled up last time. Drops down in grade but hardly presents a sound option from 26lb out of the weights; easily passed over.

Form: 8P-657P

Forecasts

Ballyellis (1/1), Skeaping (11/4), Falak (9/2), Best Not Argue (5/1), Mustaaqeem (50/1), Royal Beekeeper (50/1)

Only a low-grade affair but it’s not the worst event of its type and BALLYELLIS has shaped through the summer months as though he can win a small race. He certainly gave a clear indication last time that he was close to winning when coming second at Market Rasen and arguably should have won with a clearer passage. Falak hasn’t been at his best of late but he’s more than capable of winning a race of this nature at his best, he looks the main danger. Best Not Argue also enters the equation although she needs to prove she can follow up her Cartmel performance. Phil Middleton won this in 2017 with Astrum, he runs Skeaping this time but that one needs to finish off his races better.